Recognizing Player Types and Preferences

Image from Wizards of the Coast

Just about every good game master's guide or book on DM theory eventually touches upon the idea of particular classifications of the players in your group to identify what makes them tick. What do the enjoy most out of the game? What can you expect from them at the game table? The answers to these questions are unique to each player, but there are a few broad categories that can be used to distinguish these types of players.

The following categories aren't exclusive, and some players might fall into two or more of these classifications. Having a grasp of what they are will give a DM a better understanding of their likes and dislikes, so that your game can be tailored to its audience. The following list will provide a basic rundown of different player types and sub-types, along with general advice for handling them. Future articles will explore each of these player types in detail, getting down the real nitty-gritty of their play styles. Consider this a road map to the player types, just to get you thinking about their differences and similarities.

NARRATIVE PLAYERS

The Explorer 

Likes: Map-making and discovery. Lots of variety in monsters and environments.

Dislikes: Generic dungeons, lack of history and lore.

Tips: Include lots of notes on the background and science of your setting. This is also a good player to have helping you manage maps and miniatures. It pays to have good notes and lots of vivid imagery for a player like this.

The Storyteller

Likes: An ongoing plotline, dramatic story developments, a world with some history.

Dislikes: Mindless or extensive combat, being railroaded with a lack of control over the narrative.

Tips: You want to make especially sure this player's character has a personal connection to the story, through plot hooks and association with the other characters. Also prepare for branching plot paths based on the character's decisions.

The Watcher

Likes: Enjoying the company of other players, watching the game unfold.

Dislikes: Being forced into the spotlight, being asked to act out a role.

Tips: Don't put too much pressure on this shy player, but remember that they are easily overlooked, and be proactive in asking them questions. Make sure they don't end up feeling left out.

PERFORMANCE PLAYERS

The Jokester

Likes: Goofing off, making people laugh

Dislikes: An overly serious or dramatic tone, strict adherence to the setting's lore.

Tips: A little humor is fine and necessary in any campaign. It is a game after all! Let this player provide some comic relief as long as it is welcome among their fellow players.

The Bravo

Likes: Being a cool character, feeling like an action hero.

Dislikes: Looking foolish, or being unable to perform cinematic actions for the sake of realism.

Tips: Provide plenty of opportunities for really evocative moments in the game, and remember that failure should be dramatic but not humiliating.

The Actor

Likes: Playing a role, acting out parts, interacting with other characters.

Dislikes: Long periods of combat or dungeoneering.

Tips: Interaction with NPCs and role-playing characters are a big draw for this kind of player.

COMBAT PLAYERS

The Slayer

Likes: Fighting monsters and enemies, tactical combat.

Dislikes: Talking to NPCs, long periods without action.

Tips: Combat, combat, combat! That's what this player is about. They can make a good initiative tracker. 

The Instigator

Likes: Being the first into the fight, starting trouble and flying by the seat of the pants.

Dislikes: Being punished excessively or ignored.

Tips: Throw this guy a bone and give him a situation where he can justifiably start a ruckus. Otherwise allow the players to run interference when his instigation becomes disruptive.

The Power Gamer

Likes: Optimal character design and challenging encounters, learning the ins and outs of the rulebook.

Dislikes: Encounters that are too easy, lack of adherence to the rules as written.

Tips: This is can easily become a problem player if his goal is to break the game system and auto-win. However, if he or she just enjoys optimizing their characters as part of the challenge, there's nothing wrong with playing along and throwing more powerful enemies at them. Just remember to discuss tweaking the rules if this player is unbalancing things too much.

Ask yourself, which of these play styles show up in your game sessions? Which of these tendencies do you favor yourself? Remember, this is not a determiner for what your players are good at, but what it is they enjoy doing the most. When I identify these interests in my players, I usually find that there are at least two that stand out as defining interests. So I identify their primary and secondary interest and now I know what to do to give them the most enjoyment out of the game. 

For instance, I myself am a Storyteller/Explorer. I value the development of the plot first and foremost, but I also enjoy finding out about the lore and other details of the setting.The easiest way to find out the interests of your players is to ask, but if you pay close attention sometimes it is just apparent.

Stay tuned for more details about player types, when and how to survey players about their play styles, and a rundown on dealing with problem players!

Happy ventures!